Caleb's Journey: Overcoming Peanut Allergies with Oral Immunotherapy

Caleb is a kindhearted and energetic 7-year-old who was diagnosed with a peanut allergy at a very young age. His parents were terrified and faced many challenges common among children with food allergies, including food avoidance, reading food labels and even skipping some restaurants and cafeterias. Caleb’s diet required strict avoidance of peanuts, foods containing peanuts and foods that may have been processed in a factory where peanuts were also processed.

When asked about the family's biggest fear surrounding food allergies at that time, Caleb's mom Mandy replied:

“I think for any family with a food allergy, the biggest fear will always be an accidental exposure. We were vigilant about reading ingredients and asking about unknown foods at restaurants. There is always a chance that there is a sneaky ingredient that could cause a reaction, and that is so scary. Another fear was sending Caleb to school – we had to trust him and the faculty to be watchful. Does a 5-year-old truly understand the dangers of ingesting a peanut? ‘Here friend, try this delicious treat….’ Thankfully, Caleb was cautious, and we had taught him from an early age that eating a peanut could kill him. Scary, right? But true.”

Last year, Caleb and his parents decided to research options available to decrease the risk of anaphylaxis due to ingestion of allergenic food. They discussed oral immunotherapy (OIT) with the Allergy & Asthma Center of NC, and the family decided to give this treatment option a try. OIT refers to a medically supervised therapy of feeding an allergic individual an increasing amount of the food they are allergic to, with the goal of lowering the threshold that triggers a reaction to that food.

Caleb started the process in July 2024, and after about six months, reached his maintenance goal. He is now eating peanuts and products containing peanuts daily! Caleb’s mom Mandy notes that OIT has been a “game changer,” and that Caleb “is free to enjoy new foods and explore likes and dislikes with no worries.”

Caleb is now enjoying all things peanut, and according to his mom, his favorite new food group is "CANDY! Any and all CANDY!"

Mandy reports that she no longer has concerns about labels reading “may contain peanuts” anymore. When asked if she would recommend the OIT treatment program to others with food allergies, Mandy replied, "Absolutely. My only regret is not finding it sooner. It is a commitment, but it’s so worth it. So thankful to have found this program.”

To learn more about food allergies and OIT, contact any of our offices.